Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-20
EEL, IN A TREP

People on both sides OF the Atlantic
have been amused CT late by the misfor-
tune Of the London Times il its eXtrava-
CANT search for sensations. In its insane
desire to persecute the Irish National
leaders, this entsrprising and highly in
fiuential paper employed the services Of
3 skilled detective to visit America for
the purpose Of trumping up evidence,
good or bad, th.t would have tendency
to bear cut the theory of direct con-
rection between "Parnellism and
Crime" Documentary evidence YVES
preferred, and if letters written
by epy Of. the Irish leaders to
sny OF the Irish-American Fenians could
be discovered, money for their purchase
was to be forthcoming by simply flashing
notice of the fact under the ocean. TIE
detective arrived in New York and soon
found, IS he supposed, a confederate.
lyman, the alleged No. l of the Invin-
cibles, was sought out, and, after segu-
lar business conversation, expressed g
willingness to sell four or i've letters
from Parnell, Healy, O'Brien and Dillon
for $500, cash in hand. The de-
tective ordered $500 from the Times,
which was sent. lyman got his price snd
the confederate claimed and received
hslf the residue. Seventeen hundred
dollars more were ordered and received
for the purchase of other letters held by
one Sheridan, who was also sccommoda-
tirgly in the market. This sum also was
divided among the three parties to the
trade, and when the letters were deliver
ed the story could not be kept in longer,
and was given to the public. Every let,
ter purchased from the Fenisns, strange
~ enough, was written on the same sort
Of paper, and stranger still,
though signsd by various Irish
Nationalist the handwriting WAC the same
and the language almost identical. When
the Jig was up, the detective first incurred
because he hsd not extorted from the
Times dou lie the sum, and after wards
tried to make those who duped him re-
fund the money. The facts were ct once
Cabled to London ard Labouchere in his
paper Truth confessed that he had been
cognizant CT the labors which the Times
missionary he'd gone to America TO per-
form, but held his peace in order that the
detective might fall into the trap set for
him. It is never right to eXult over
the success Of rasCslitY, and in this
from the English detective are simply
rogues and swindlers. The character
of the victim will go a long ways towards
pallia,ing the crime. It YVES only con-
test of rascal against rascal, and our
American specimen were victorious. The
Times has pursued Parneu with ma
lightly and perseverance that stopped
short Of nothing low and contemplate
that would give color Of truth to its ut
terances. With fendish mslevolence II
purchased scoundrels and bribed
forgers to fa5ricste eliminating let
ters and published these torgeries
with all the solemnity OF
virtuous intention 10 expose wicked
ness. The loss OF the money is nothing
to the Tines. The exposure of its vile
methods is wherein it will receive pun
ishment. The managers of paper like
"The Thunderer" cannot plead stupidity
they could not have been hoodwinked by
the shrewdest edventurer; they must
confess to willful and deliberate at
tempt to blacken the character Of good
men by false and vicious puolIcations,sn and
their failure to do SO is good cause for
rejoicing.